HAVERFORD, Pa. — The Haverford College volleyball team (9-2) rebounded from a first-set setback to defeat Stevenson (4-5) in four sets, 20-25, 25-17, 25-15, 25-21, on Saturday at Gooding '84 Arena. The win marked the program's fifth consecutive victory. The match also served as Haverford's annual Play With Pride game, honoring LGBTQ+ community members and supporting advocacy in collegiate athletics.
Stevenson opened the match aggressively, capturing the first set 25-20. Haverford struck first with a kill from
Elizabeth Cella and a service ace from
Dasha Igonin to lead 2-0 and seize early control.
The Fords maintained a slim edge through mid-set, highlighted by an
Eliana Brown kill at 6-3, but the Mustangs rallied to tie at 7-all. A late Haverford timeout at 18-16 failed to halt Stevenson's push, and the Mustangs closed the set 25-20.
Haverford responded in the second set, surging to a 3-0 lead behind a kill from
Fiona Moord. Stevenson tied the score at 8-all, but Haverford regained control through key plays, including a block by Cella and
Maggie Turner and three consecutive service aces from
Izabela Potocnjak. Potocnjak's serving proved decisive down the stretch, as the senior oversaw a dominating 10-0 run that shifted the momentum firmly in favor of the hosts, helping Haverford claim the set 25-17.
The Fords controlled the third set, building an early lead with a kill from Brown and extending it to 14-5 with contributions from Potocnjak, who added a service ace and a kill. Balanced offensive production and steady defense allowed Haverford to close the frame at 25-15.
The fourth set was a tight contest early, with Brown opening the scoring for Haverford. Stevenson rallied to take leads of 13-11, 14-12 and 15-14, but the Mustangs called a timeout at 17-15 to halt Haverford's push after a 3-0 run. The Fords responded with crucial kills from Brown and Potocnjak to secure the set 25-21 and the match.
Potocnjak finished with six aces, while Brown led the team with 16 kills and 12 digs, pushing her career service ace total to 99—just shy of the century mark.
Igonin recorded a career-high 31 assists and 14 digs, while Moord contributed nine kills, six block assists, and a .400 hitting percentage. For Stevenson, Logan Burge led with 10 kills on 23 attempts (.348 hitting percentage) and 11 points. Declyn Tooze added 15 assists without errors and two aces, while Lilly Hornickle led the Mustangs with four blocks.
Looking ahead, Haverford will face Christopher Newport on Friday, September 26, in Newport News, Va. First serve is set for 7 p.m. The weekend slate in the Hampton Roads area continues with a Saturday, September 27, matchup against No. 23 Virginia Wesleyan at 11 a.m. on the campus of CNU.
